Jannik Sinner will launch his Australian Open title defence under a stubborn doping cloud but the whiff of scandal may do little to halt the Italian juggernaut. Sinner remains the man to beat at Melbourne Park even as doping officials seek a two-year ban for the world number one for failing two drugs tests last March.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal encounter.

World number one Jannik Sinner was drawn Thursday against big-hitting Nicolas Jarry to start his Australian Open defence while Novak Djokovic is on a collision course to meet Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic lead the men’s field at the 2025 Australian Open. MELBOURNE, Australia — Here are some of the top men at the Australian Open, which starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday morning local time (Saturday night EST), with money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:

The Australian Open starts Sunday, the first major tournament on the calendar and the unofficial kickoff for the 2025 tennis season. Let the bright sun and electric blue courts of Melbourne transport you to the other side of the world,

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season's first major, with Carlos Alcaraz in the same quarter as Djokovic.